4 ms·

I wouldn't read too much into the number. Their department claims that Math 55, for example, is the hardest undergraduate math class in the country and I believ

I wouldn't read too much into the number. Their department claims that Math 55, for example, is the hardest undergraduate math class in the country and I believe them.

OJFord 10y ago
It's a broad, introductory, 11-week course which 'about half ... typically treat ... as their one and only course in computer science'. That said, I find the idea of a t-shirt to commemorate a single course (whatever it's difficulty) amusingly odd.
- extra88 10y ago
  Harvard is not on a quarter system, Fall and Spring semesters are about 15 weeks long. For students who already have some programming experience, there are many opportunities to challenge themselves in the problem sets and especially the final project. As for the t-shirt, CS50 has one of the largest enrollments and Malan puts a lot of effort into making it fun, engaging, encouraging, and fostering a sense of community. Out of such a large enrollment at a liberal arts college, of course many will not take other CS course, but the course has definitely contributed to an increase in the number of students declaring CS as their major (what Harvard calls a "concentration").
  - OJFord 10y ago
    > Harvard is not on a quarter system, Fall and Spring semesters are about 15 weeks long. Okay, not being familiar with 'a quarter system' myself anyway, I only said 11 weeks based on the 11-week schedule in the blog post.
leereeves 10y ago
I was surprised to discover that the course has a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_55 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_55 > From 2007 onwards, the scope of the course was changed to more strictly cover the content of four existing semester-long courses in two semesters: Math 25a (linear algebra) and Math 122 (group theory) in Math 55a; and Math 25b (calculus, real analysis) and Math 113 (complex analysis) in Math 55b. The name was changed to "Honors Abstract Algebra" and "Honors Real and Complex Analysis" to reflect this.[citation needed] Linear algebra, abstract algebra, calculus, and real and complex analysis in one course. Sounds like fun.
- jessaustin 10y ago
  Keep in mind that Math 55 is typically only open to frosh.
myblake 10y ago
Yeah Harvard doesn't use the same numbering systems as most other universities. It's up to the department if I recall and for the case department anything in the sub 100s were intro, 100-200 was for undergrad classes but could be taken for credit by students getting a masters degree and anything over 200 was graduate level (though open to motivated undergrads).

I wouldn't read too much into the number. Their department claims that Math 55, for example, is the hardest undergraduate math class in the country and I believe them.

OJFord 10y ago

It's a broad, introductory, 11-week course which 'about half ... typically treat ... as their one and only course in computer science'. That said, I find the idea of a t-shirt to commemorate a single course (whatever it's difficulty) amusingly odd.

extra88 10y ago
Harvard is not on a quarter system, Fall and Spring semesters are about 15 weeks long. For students who already have some programming experience, there are many opportunities to challenge themselves in the problem sets and especially the final project. As for the t-shirt, CS50 has one of the largest enrollments and Malan puts a lot of effort into making it fun, engaging, encouraging, and fostering a sense of community. Out of such a large enrollment at a liberal arts college, of course many will not take other CS course, but the course has definitely contributed to an increase in the number of students declaring CS as their major (what Harvard calls a "concentration").
- OJFord 10y ago
  > Harvard is not on a quarter system, Fall and Spring semesters are about 15 weeks long. Okay, not being familiar with 'a quarter system' myself anyway, I only said 11 weeks based on the 11-week schedule in the blog post.

leereeves 10y ago

I was surprised to discover that the course has a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_55 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_55 > From 2007 onwards, the scope of the course was changed to more strictly cover the content of four existing semester-long courses in two semesters: Math 25a (linear algebra) and Math 122 (group theory) in Math 55a; and Math 25b (calculus, real analysis) and Math 113 (complex analysis) in Math 55b. The name was changed to "Honors Abstract Algebra" and "Honors Real and Complex Analysis" to reflect this.[citation needed] Linear algebra, abstract algebra, calculus, and real and complex analysis in one course. Sounds like fun.

jessaustin 10y ago
Keep in mind that Math 55 is typically only open to frosh.

myblake 10y ago

Yeah Harvard doesn't use the same numbering systems as most other universities. It's up to the department if I recall and for the case department anything in the sub 100s were intro, 100-200 was for undergrad classes but could be taken for credit by students getting a masters degree and anything over 200 was graduate level (though open to motivated undergrads).